Office of Sponsored Research and Programs Post-Award Procedures

This article describes the responsibilities for the financial administration of all contracts and grants awarded to the university by the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs (OSRP).

This responsibility includes the following duties:

• Determining the propriety and reasonableness of costs

• Exercising fiscal oversight of contract and grant funds

• Preparing and submitting financial reports and invoices

• Maintaining an effective and auditable time and effort reporting system

• Providing support to faculty, staff, students and the university business offices for the financial administration of contracts and grants

After favorable action on the application, a “Notification of Award" or similar document is ordinarily issued by the sponsor. Upon receipt of such documents, OSRP will complete a Notification of Award form, which summarizes the terms and conditions of the award, codes the budgets and authorizes the establishment of an account. A copy of the award notification is forwarded to the principal investigator.

When notification of the award is completed and the budget is cast, the principal investigator is responsible for the transmittal of all payroll forms on employees who will be paid on the grantor contract. The University Personnel Policy should be followed when hiring new employees. Note: Package of personnel forms and procedures for implementing project-related staffing can be obtained from the NCCU Human Resources Department.

If the proposal is not recommended for support, you are entitled to know why funding was denied. Some agencies include reviewers' comments with the declination notice, and others will provide them when requested by the principal investigator. Most agencies permit resubmission, and some even encourage them with proposals having a basically sound idea but a design that may require some revision.

When OSRP receives and accepts a formal notice of award from the granting agency, OSRP proceeds to process this information according to the following steps:

• Establishes a grant fund number
• Enters the approved budget into the university accounting system
• Develops a grant file

The Office of Sponsored Research and Programs (OSRP) will review all requests for payroll authorization, purchase requisitions and travel requests for compliance with specific terms and conditions and for compliance with university, state and federal regulations.

Changes in human subject protocol must be approved by the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects from Research Risks.

Contact the Human Resources Department for established University procedures that must be used in hiring all persons to be supported with grant or contract funds. Remember: Principal investigators/project directors should have all payroll authorizations approved before an employee starts to work. Questions regarding position classifications and salary and wage policies should be discussed with the Human Resources Department.

All cost sharing that is required or reported to an agency must be documented. Salaries and wages must be certified via the time and effort reporting system. Supplies, materials and equipment must be supported by invoices or other documents verifying the expenditure. The project director/principal investigator must report all cost-sharing expenditures to OSRP at the end of the project with supporting documentation. OSRP will report expenditures to the agencies.

Practically all sponsors require a final, comprehensive report on completion of a project. The one exception is when a project is continued, in which case an interim report may also be required. There is ordinarily a firm due date for final reports, and sponsors properly expect to receive the report on or before that date.

If, for reasons beyond the project director's control, the report will be delayed, a letter should be transmitted from the OSRP to the sponsor explaining the reasons for delay and requesting a time extension. In many cases, as with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), no costs can be charged to the project after the expiration date even though the report may not have been delivered. Consequently, if the report is not completed on or before the expiration date, there may be difficulty in paying such costs as typing, artwork, duplication, etc.

The University cannot receive its final payment under a contract or grant until the sponsor's final reporting requirements are met. Therefore, undue delay in submission of the final report may work a financial hardship on the University. There is also a very real probability that both the principal investigator's and the University's image with the sponsor may be damaged.

For grants with program income, please consult the university's Program Income Policy.